Mini Pavlova Recipe

Who doesn't love Pavlova? The scrumptious meringue dessert that is crispy outside and with soft marshmallow texture inside, often garnished with cream and fruits.

You might have thought that this type of cake is not easy to make but trust me, with the recipe below you can make the best Mini Pavlovas at home with no fuss! 

Each individual portion is for one person: no cutting and crumbling, all neat and nicely served!

The classic Pavlova Cake is a meringue dessert which originated in Australia or New Zeland at the beginning of the 20th century. It is believed to have been named in honor of the Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova who at the time toured in these countries. 

What makes Pavlova different from the French style meringue cookies is that some starch is added to the egg white mixture for stability. That results in a shell that is soft inside and crispy outside. Together with the added toppings this makes the texture of the Pavlova uniquely contrasting.

For this Mini Pavlovas recipe you would need simple ingredients, all easy to find:

• egg whites: 1 for 3 mini pavlovas
• caster sugar: ½ cup or 100 g per 2 egg whites
• cornstarch or any other starch
• lemon juice, just a few drops
• vanilla extract
• sour cream: about 3-4 tablespoon per portion
• powdered sugar
• berries or other fruits to decorate

Making the egg white mixture is easy:

• First beat the egg whites with an electric mixer until foamy.
• Gradually add the caster sugar and beat until soft peaks form
• Add the lemon juice, the starch and the vanilla extract. Beat 1-2 more minutes until stiff peaks form.
• Spoon or pipe the mini pavlovas in a large baking tin.

The baking process is the most important part for a perfect Pavlova cake. You absolutely want to avoid overbaking the meringue as it will get caramelized.

1. Preheat the oven to 300° F/ 150° C.
2. Place the baking tin with the Mini Pavlovas in the oven and immediately turn down to 250° F/ 120° C.
3. Bake the pavlovas for about 1,5 hours. Ideally the last 30 minutes turn the oven down to 212° F/ 100° C. The tops of the Mini Pavlovas should be dry when you touch them. The inside part might be still a bit soft, just like a marshmallow.
4. Switch the oven off and leave the Pavlovas for 30 minutes inside the oven, with the door closed. If you skip this step, they might crack, which is not a huge problem.
5. Garnish the mini cakes after they are completely cool, before serving them.

The current topping is super simple and yet very delicious: sour cream whisked with some icing sugar plus berries.

You can diversify the topping and easily and make your Pavlova desserts unique every time! Here are some ideas:

• Use whipped cream with powdered sugar instead of sour cream
• Use my super delicious and easy Mascarpone Cream Frosting.
• Fill the Pavlovas with Lemon Curd. This is a good way to use the leftover egg yolks.
• Fill them with white or dark Chocolate Mousse and/or Raspberry Coulis.
• Go wild and serve them with Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream.

You can store the meringue shells without filling for a 2-3 days at room temperature, up to a week in the fridge and up to 2 months frozen. To keep from moisture and humidity make sure they are covered very well with plastic wrap or are placed in airtight containers.

Filled Pavlova can be stored for up to 2 days in the fridge but beware that within a few hours the shell will become soggy.

With this Mini Pavlova Recipe you can make some of the best individual desserts for party or for celebration! They are super light, tasty, crispy outside and soft inside - just perfect!

If you love meringue desserts, you would probably like the Chocolate Layer Cake with Caramelised Meringues and the Lemon Macarons.

Let me know in the comments what you think of the recipe! I would be glad to receive your feedback if you made it!